The Front Office won’t add anyone. We will be reading articles all winter about how Kopech coming back is just like adding a potential ace in Free Agency.

3 minutes ago, Orlando said:

The Front Office won’t add anyone. We will be reading articles all winter about how Kopech coming back is just like adding a potential ace in Free Agency.

Even with Kopech back, we need another dependable guy. Right now we have two reliable pitchers, one whose performance can vary wildly and a black hole in two other spots. Kopech also hasn't pitched in a meaningful game in a couple years so we can't assume he will seamlessly slide into the rotation as a quality starter. 

1 hour ago, caulfield12 said:

I just pretended like that franchise didn't have the money to make another big signing because it was too depressing from the point of view of Sox fans.

This was the Machado signing.

I don't remember making many other comments about signing or not signing someone, other than perhaps doubting we would be able to outgun the Cardinals for Luis Robert.

Those are the only two that come to mind, and they weren't exactly "off the wall" positions because there were at least two times we were "nearing a deal" with Machado and it was even featured as a banner headline on ESPN main page...and yet MOST Sox fans still were far from confident of it happening.  Of course, the popular argument of the day was that Padres were essentially a small market franchise and couldn't afford to sign someone for hundreds of millions...and that Jay and Yonder Alonso alone were enough to counterbalance that.  

Robert was a shocker, almost everyone in baseball thought he would go to St. Louis.   The two main reasons NOT for that to happen were the rumors of unhappiness from a number of high profile African-American/Latino players, and 2) the Cuban Connection.

Phillies were tapped out, dodgers perpetually looking to offload talent due to tax, "its the new yankees", etc etc

59 minutes ago, EloyJenkins said:

I loved Q when he was here. Ready to move on though. Keuchel is already the crafty, smart lefty the team needs. They need more of a #2 type guy and Q is not that anymore. 

Giolito
FA
Keuchel
Cease
Kopech/Dunning

Lopez is either traded for a RF or converted to a dominant Bullpen guy. Honestly if Bummer or Foster can be the closer moving forward, Lopez could be a really important bullpen piece. 

With the long term future of the team becoming more and more clear, not against packaging some guys in the offseason for an arm like Lopez, Collins (Would love to lock up McCann), Adolfo/Rutherford, Sheets

4 minutes ago, ChiSoxJon said:

With the long term future of the team becoming more and more clear, not against packaging some guys in the offseason for an arm like Lopez, Collins (Would love to lock up McCann), Adolfo/Rutherford, Sheets

You've gotten us a middle reliever.

In retrospect we should have gotten Dylan bundy.

1 hour ago, caulfield12 said:

You don’t believe there will be a December FA market?  Why?

Ok however many months before the season ends. BUT it will be difficult for teams to make offers while we're still in the pandemic so I do expect a slow market and not much happening in December. Players may also wait ,hoping for a vaccine if the offers they get  due to the pandemic ,are low.

2 minutes ago, bmags said:

You've gotten us a middle reliever.

In retrospect we should have gotten Dylan bundy.

People laughed at rumors of a potential Bundy trade last year. He was already showing signs of improvement in 2019 and was almost a 3 WAR pitcher. Nobody could have guessed he'd be this good in 2020 though.

2 minutes ago, chw42 said:

People laughed at rumors of a potential Bundy trade last year. He was already showing signs of improvement in 2019 and was almost a 3 WAR pitcher. Nobody could have guessed he'd be this good in 2020 though.

Nope. We also didn't know return so I didn't feel very strongly about acquiring him or missing out on him. Definitely didn't mind not getting him. But he would have been a pretty big help. Promote that scout (he was probably let go).

50 minutes ago, BamaDoc said:

By the end of this season we should have a better idea on some of our younger pitchers.  Cease maintained his velocity yesterday till the end.  If he and Kopech progress it will allow Keuchel to move one slot down each year of his contract.  Due to this short season, next year we may need to monitor innings on a lot of these players so depth will again be important.  Next year you could see Rodon/Lopez/ Dunning and the youngsters as your 5 plus positions.  It probably makes more sense to see where we are near the trade deadline next year and maybe add then if needed.  After 2021 is when it may make more sense to add a starter and hopefully we are attractive as a competitor and should be generating money.

Colome is a free agent after 2020 I believe.  Solidifying the bullpen is a bigger need to me.  We will need another lefty you can depend on and possibly a closer.  We have a plethora of right handed options.  A lefty besides Bummer who can get both sides out and be relied upon would be nice.

This sums up my thoughts.  I don't see a starter being added this offseason.  Giolito and Keuchel are locked in and Cease is looking like a mainstay as well (assuming all remain healthy).  While I think the organization is probably prepared to move Lopez and Rodon to bullpen roles, I expect them to give both Kopech and Dunning a year in the rotation next year before deciding if they need to add an impact starter through free agency.

Of course, this all changes if there's a significant injury to anyone, which is always a possibility.

Can't help but wonder if the White Sox are going to offer Colome a long term contract.

Bauer would be awesome.  Ray would be a nice consolation prize.

Stroman and Quintana would be nice to backend pieces.  

Nothing after that gets me excited. 

Of those 4 guys I listed, none are super elite, so I don't think any of these guys are going to be wildly expensive.  That being said, Bauer, Ray and Stroman are probably the top of the market so you never know how desperate club will get.

One thing I know - we need to bring another solid SP on board.  We got Giolito, Keuchel, and Cease.  I'd save one spot for Kopech/Dunning/Lopez, though I think Lopez is pretty much done as starter at this point, and I'd be very surprised if Rodon is even on this team next year.  Can't rely on those guys to fill 2 spots, so need to go get someone this offseason if you want 2021 to be a legit contender in a normal season.  

9 hours ago, ptatc said:

I assume then no one wants to give any of the young, inexpensive, cost controlled pitchers like Dunning or Stiever a chance. 

Giolito, keuchal, cease, kopech.  Or is Cease gone instead.

No way Cease is removed from the rotation anytime soon.  They're going to give Cease just as much time as they gave Gioltio to figure it out as SP, which means at the VERY least all the way through 2021. I'd even say due to this truncated 2020 season, he has until mid 2022 before they consider other options (assuming health).  

Edited August 13, 20205 yr by ChiSox59

1 hour ago, EloyJenkins said:

I loved Q when he was here. Ready to move on though. Keuchel is already the crafty, smart lefty the team needs. They need more of a #2 type guy and Q is not that anymore. 

Giolito
FA
Keuchel
Cease
Kopech/Dunning

Lopez is either traded for a RF or converted to a dominant Bullpen guy. Honestly if Bummer or Foster can be the closer moving forward, Lopez could be a really important bullpen piece. 

They wouldn't be getting a good RF then.

36 minutes ago, bmags said:

Phillies were tapped out, dodgers perpetually looking to offload talent due to tax, "its the new yankees", etc etc

Balta was the one mostly arguing that...

41 minutes ago, bmags said:

You've gotten us a middle reliever.

In retrospect we should have gotten Dylan bundy.

A guy like Bundy is why teams take chances on failed prospects.  It usually doesn't work, but you are also betting on a guy who was highly thought of for a reason.

35 minutes ago, WBWSF said:

Can't help but wonder if the White Sox are going to offer Colome a long term contract.

Def not.  Hahn does not overpay for closers, thankfully.  In fact I'd say he's more likely to be traded this season than resigned.  As for OP, I'd love Bauer for next year but seems a long shot for many reasons.

Edited August 13, 20205 yr by chitownsportsfan

14 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

Def not.  Hahn does not overpay for closers, thankfully.  In fact I'd say he's more likely to be traded this season than resigned.  As for OP, I'd love Bauer for next year but seems a long shot for many reasons.

We can relitigate Robertson, but the Sox historically have never signed outside closers.

Dotel and Linebrink before 2008 would be another example, but those guys at that point were considered high quality set-up men.  Traded for Foulke, Jenks off waivers, S.Santos similar story.  Traded for Koch.  Takatsu was more of a flier.  I guess Hermanson, but also a huge question mark when signed due to health.  Jesse Crain, etc.  Marte trade.  Thornton a flier for Borchard.  Flash Gordon?
 

None examples of overspending, except taking on Koch’s deal before Carl Crawford and Zobrist tattooed him into St. Pete Bay.

57 minutes ago, WBWSF said:

Can't help but wonder if the White Sox are going to offer Colome a long term contract.

I'd be all for a 3 year deal

3 minutes ago, ChiSoxJon said:

I'd be all for a 3 year deal

White Sox won’t commit to three years based on Top 4-6 closer in baseball performance level over the past half decade.  Not how they’ve ever dealt with relievers, other than Robertson.

Edited August 13, 20205 yr by caulfield12

Let’s say hypothetically they were gonna add a pitcher this year. Who would be realistic targets?

 

1 hour ago, ChiSox59 said:

No way Cease is removed from the rotation anytime soon.  They're going to give Cease just as much time as they gave Gioltio to figure it out as SP, which means at the VERY least all the way through 2021. I'd even say due to this truncated 2020 season, he has until mid 2022 before they consider other options (assuming health).  

Correct. Which means they are locked into Giolito, Keuchal, Cease and Kopech for next year. If they go top tier FA (which I still maintain is not a wise investment) that means neither Dunning nor Stiever got a shot. Let's see how Dunning looks when they bring him up before making off season decisions.

15 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

We can relitigate Robertson, but the Sox historically have never signed outside closers.

Dotel and Linebrink before 2008 would be another example, but those guys at that point were considered high quality set-up men.  Traded for Foulke, Jenks off waivers, S.Santos similar story.  Traded for Koch.  Takatsu was more of a flier.  I guess Hermanson, but also a huge question mark when signed due to health.  Jesse Crain, etc.  Marte trade.  Thornton a flier for Borchard.  Flash Gordon?
 

None examples of overspending, except taking on Koch’s deal before Carl Crawford and Zobrist tattooed him into St. Pete Bay.

Hermanson, takatsu and Jenks all in the WS champion season were outside the org.

I seriously wonder if the Dodgers would ever want out of that Kershaw contract. Especially with the new Betts deal

16 minutes ago, ptatc said:

Hermanson, takatsu and Jenks all in the WS champion season were outside the org.

I mean big money deals, not waiver claims or injury fliers or 40+ Japanese leaguers scouted by KW via video tapes.

21 minutes ago, ptatc said:

Correct. Which means they are locked into Giolito, Keuchal, Cease and Kopech for next year. If they go top tier FA (which I still maintain is not a wise investment) that means neither Dunning nor Stiever got a shot. Let's see how Dunning looks when they bring him up before making off season decisions.

Dudes get hurt.  Dunning and Stiever will get their shot.  And Kopech will be in the minors until at least June next season, and counting on him for much of anything at this point is probably the wrong thing to do.  Adding a guy like Robby Ray, Stroman or Quintana, dudes that shouldn't break the bank or destroy the club if they end up sucking, would go a LONG ways in making the rotation deeper, more talented and more insulated.  

So start the year like this:  Giolito, Keuchel, Cease, FA (Ray/Stroman/Quintana), Lopez/Dunning/Rodon (doubt he's around)/other.

Then come june you have Giolito, Keuchel, Cease, FA above, and hopefully Kopech, with Lopez, Dunning, Stiever, Lambert all as back up options.